Ice Safety 1-Day Workshop

Participants have a fun, active day outside while they:

• Get hands-on practice with experienced instructors in a great learning environment
• Learn how to judge ice conditions and recognize hazards
• Learn and try out multiple ways to test ice thickness
• Practice rescuing themselves and rescuing others—with basic techniques and minimal equipment
• Understand what safety gear to bring out on winter excursions
• Grow their knowledge and experience—so they can make good decisions when out on frozen lakes and rivers

Knowledge

• General concepts of ice safety and rescue
• How ice forms and thaws
• How to assess conditions
• What to do if you fall in
• What equipment to carry for different activities
• Signals and communications
• First aid topics: drowning and hypothermia

Skills

• Safe methods for approaching weak ice and testing thickness
• Self-rescue
• Rescuing other people with basic techniques
• Throw ropes
• Contact rescues
• Reaching tools and techniques
• Hauling people up and over the ice edge
• Rescue of panicked subjects
• Optional: self-rescue with no drysuit (just street clothes). Participants can opt into this at the very end of the session. They’ll wear a PFD (flotation device).

Add-on online learning and prep

It’s up to you if you want to include pre-course online learning for your group.

If the group wants this, once registered, we’ll send each participant a link to our online platform. 

They’ll complete 25 to 30 minutes of prep, including online learning and signing waiver forms.

You’ll also get access to additional learning resources.

This is a general list of what to bring. Please refer to your InfoPack (which you’ll receive once you register) for a complete list specific to your workshop.

We’ll provide you with:

• Immersion suit — this insulated suit is waterproof and has built in flotation, gloves/mitts, and booties
• Rescue training gear (ropes, ice testing devices to try)
• Course safety equipment: first aid kit, communication device, rescue sled

Your packing list:

COVID safety

• Face masks (bring at least 2) – not to be worn in the water
• Hand sanitizer (small bottle)

To bring out on the ice

• Backpack for your food, thermos and extra layers
• Snacks, lunch, and water bottle or thermos
  Keeping yourself fuelled with calories is one of the keys to staying warm and happy. We usually don’t stop for a long food breaks but instead, take several shorter eating breaks so it’s good to bring lots of food and things that don’t require preparation. 
• Personal medications
• Sunscreen, lip protection
• Optional: insulated lunch bag or cooler and heat pack
  An insulated lunch bag / small cooler can be a nice option for storing food, beverages, medications, phone, and any other items you don’t want to freeze out on the ice
• Optional: Pencil and notepad / book 
• Optional: Camera or action cam 
• Optional: Sunglasses or prescription glasses with strap 

Clothing to wear for ice immersion sessions

We provide an ‘immersion suit’, please wear/bring these items to go along with it:

• Synthetic or wool long underwear top and bottom
• Synthetic or wool winter socks
• Lightweight warm slippers to wear inside the suit
• Thick fleece top, wool sweater, or synthetic ‘puffy’ top
• Fleece or wool warm pants (or very thick long underwear)
• Toque (warm hat) X 2
• Neck/face warmer
• Warm winter mitts (these are in addition to the ones built into the suit )
• Winter boots or footwear (depending on the suit, you can sometimes wear these over top or inside)

Clothing for your travel to and from the course

• Change of clothes and winter boots for your way home
• Gear bag to store your equipment for transport

Clothing for OPTIONAL ‘no-immersion suit self-rescue’

At the end of the session, you’ll have the opportunity (100% OPTIONAL) to experience going into the ice water with no immersion suit and rescuing yourself. (Your instructor will be right there and closely watching you if you need a hand).

You’ll wear a PFD (flotation device), which we provide, and ‘street clothes’ or base layers.

If you’re considering doing this, please bring:

• A set of street clothes or base layers which will get soaked (these could be the clothes you start with under your immersion suit…since we’ll be done afterwards)
• A bag or container to transport the wet stuff in afterwards

Optional: any other outdoor gear or work clothing you want to try falling in the water with (examples: xc-skis and poles, snowshoes, work coveralls, winter boots or ski boots, snowmobile suit and helmet, etc.—keep in mind these will be soaked afterwards)